title: Repeated pulses of serotonin required for long-term facilitation activate mitogen-activated protein kinase in sensory neurons of Aplysia.
abstract: Long-term facilitation of the connections between the sensory and motor neurons of the gill-withdrawal reflex in Aplysia requires five repeated pulses of serotonin (5-HT). The repeated pulses of 5-HT initiate a cascade of gene activation that leads ultimately to the growth of new synaptic connections. Several genes in this process have been identified, including the transcriptional regulators apCREB-1, apCREB-2, apC/EBP, and the cell adhesion molecule apCAM, which is thought to be involved in the formation of new synaptic connections. Here we report that the transcriptional regulators apCREB-2 and apC/EBP, as well as a peptide derived from the cytoplasmic domain of apCAM, are phosphorylated in vitro by Aplysia mitogen-activated protein kinase (apMAPK). We have cloned the cDNA encoding apMAPK and show that apMAPK activity is increased in sensory neurons treated with repeated pulses of 5-HT and by the cAMP pathway. These results suggest that apMAPK may participate with cAMP-dependent protein kinase during long-term facilitation in sensory cells by modifying some of the key elements involved in the consolidation of short- to long-lasting changes in synaptic strength.
authors.affiliation: Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Center for Neurobiology and Behavior, and College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University, 722 West 168th Street, New York, NY 10032, USA.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Michael
authors.forename: K C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Seger
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Ning
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Baston
authors.forename: E R
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Kandel
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001048:Aplysia / Q000502:physiology*; D001483:Base Sequence; D022762:CCAAT-Enhancer-Binding Proteins; D017871:Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinases / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D005576:Colforsin / Q000494:pharmacology; D017868:Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases / Q000502:physiology; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000235:genetics; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D004789:Enzyme Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D017774:Long-Term Potentiation / Q000502:physiology*; D019950:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009475:Neurons, Afferent / Q000201:enzymology*; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D010750:Phosphoproteins / Q000378:metabolism; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D012701:Serotonin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013379:Substrate Specificity
chemical_list: D022762:CCAAT-Enhancer-Binding Proteins; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D010750:Phosphoproteins; D005576:Colforsin; D012701:Serotonin; D017868:Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases; D017871:Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinases; D019950:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1